Variables in metal-rich clusters. IV. NGC 6496

Our time-series data were cadenced to search for long-period variables (LPVs) over a span of nearly two years, and our variability search yielded the discovery of 13 new variable stars, of which 6 are LPVs, 2 are suspected LPVs, and 5 are short-period eclipsing binaries. An additional star was found in the ASAS database, and we clarify its type and period.

We argue that all of the eclipsing binaries are field stars, while five to six of the LPVs are members of NGC 6496. We compare the period-luminosity distribution of these LPVs with those of LPVs in the Large Magellanic Cloud and 47 Tucanae, and with theoretical pulsation models. We also present a VI color-magnitude diagram, display the evolutionary states of the variables, and match isochrones to determine a reddening of E(B-V)=0.21+/-0.02mag and apparent distance modulus of 15.60+/-0.15mag.